I applied for an expedited passport and was turned down because of child support that I don't owe.

by Timothy
(Kannapolis, NC)

Question: Last February 9, I applied for expedited passport. On February 22, I received a letter stating that I was ineligible because I was in arrears of child support.

I called the state child support enforcement agency and they have no record of me. I am a single dad with full physical and legal custody of my son, and no claim has ever been filed against me. I assume that someone misread my social security number or something.

I will be traveling to Cancun, Mexico on March 6 and have yet to be contacted by anyone. I would really like to get this taken care of as soon as possible, since I am past the deadline to cancel my trip. Please I just need someone to contact me so that this can be cleared up.

Answer: I suggest you contact the National Passport Information Center at 1-877-487-2778 and speak with one of the representatives. Explain the situation and ask her to verify the Social Security number on the application.

Passport applicants who owe more than $2500 in child support must pass through a process in which they enter into an agreement with the state agency for payment of the arrears. The state agency, in turn, informs the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services of the fact. HSS then informs that State Department.

You many want to contact HSS to check their records. North Carolina is in Region 4 of HSS's Administration for Children and Family which has its regional office in Atlanta, Georgia. The phone number is 404-562-2800.

If, for some reason, you are unable to clear this up by phone, it may be necessary to visit a regional agency. Unfortunately, the closest one is the Washington DC Passport Agency. If this is necessary, it is recommended that you obtain and take with you an official document from the State Child Support Enforcement Agency stating that you do not owe any child support.

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